It must be at least three in the morning when himchan goes downstairs to tr and find Yongguk, and get him to sleep in his own bed for once. Usually, the man ended up on the couch when he stayed up composing, claiming that he didn’t want to wake Himchan by climbing into bed. The younger is expecting to find him passed out on the sofa, but Yongguk is still in the dining room - more of a room for composing for the both of them than one for having meals - on his laptop, with a very focused expression on his face.

“…Gukkie?” Himchan half-mumbles, so he doesn’t scare the older man out of his chair. Yongguk glances at his husband, lips quirking to one side in that silly lopsided smile of his, before looking back at his screen.

“Channie…you’re supposed to be sleeping,” the elder scolds, deep voice playful, and tired-sounding. Himchan laughs quietly, going to the elder and draping himself over Yongguk’s shoulders.

“And so are you, Bae. What’s keeping you up tonight?” he asks softly, leaning down and kissing Yongguk’s cheek. Feigning disgust, the elder man groans, trying to lean away from Himchan - who only holds onto him tighter, laughing again. Yongguk gives up easily, though, leaning back and letting his head fall back against Himchan’s chest.

“…what do you think of having a kid, HImchan? I mean…adopting one…?” Yongguk finally asks, after a long silence. Himchan sighs softly, chin nearly dropping to his chest as he buries his face in Yongguk’s messy hair.

Closing his eyes, he smiles faintly. Yongguk has always been one for kids, and anything having to do with them. He was always donating royalties from his songs to orphanages and halfway houses, and Himchan approved of the practice. It helped those kids, who had nothing, and no one. If they could take someone out of that life, and into a home that was stable and safe, then he most certainly was all for it. “I think it’s a great idea,” he answers softly, smile still on his lips. Even though it’s a short answer, it makes Yongguk smile. He knows the thought process behind it, and it means everything to him that himchan is so supportive of his constant donations and involvements in charities. Messing with the simple god band on his finger thoughtfully, Yongguk hums a bit.

Himchan already knows what he’s going to ask - can they go tomorrow? He would want to get the process started as soon as possible. And really, the sooner the better. So he answers, before his husband can even ask.

“Yes, we can go tomorrow. Today, we have to put a bed and such in one of the spare rooms…and you need to get some sleep.” Yongguk groans a little at that, but lazily reaches out to shut his laptop, careful not to pull away from Himchan too much. He’d been looking at a list of the things they would have to take to the adoption agency if the got the chance to go. He’d gather the papers tomorrow morning, or this evening when they got home from errands if he had the energy to do so.

“Alright…fine, fine,” the elder finally mumbles, reluctantly pulling away from Himchan. He was right, after all. Just because they had the space for a flock of children, it didn’t mean they had the furniture or supplies for even just one child. Which would be a problem, if they went to an agency without proof that they were well-off financially and would be able to support a kid. Himchan gently pulls Yongguk upstairs, making him change before dragging him to bed. Sleep first. They would have a long few days ahead of them come dawn.

They ended up getting out of bed late - Yongguk slept in for once, and Himchan just couldn’t bring himself to wake the poor man up. He slept so little already…part of the younger is quite sure, though, that he’ll sleep better once they’ve added to their family.

The day isn’t a very long one, not really. What takes the most time and effort, after buying very gender-neutral furnishings, is putting everything together once it’s been brought inside the house. And multiple trips back and forth from the house to the store, store to care, care to house, and henceforth, but that’s okay. Himchan volunteers to do all of the driving, and even most of the work of putting things together so Yongguk can gather all the paperwork they would need. Himchan forces the man back to bed early, as soon as the sun is beneath the horizon, so they can get the rest they’ll need. The room is set up already; bed, desk, dresser, and lamp all in place. There’s a bookshelf, too. Himchan, always the voice of reason, had settled Yongguk’s tired complaints about things to go in the furniture by telling him that the first thing they would do would be to go shopping, and get pretty much whatever their child wanted. And they would, too, since he would be the one in the driver’s seat again. 

As it turns out, Yongguk had called ahead while he gathered papers, to let the local adoption agency know that they would be coming in the next day. At the moment, they’re sitting in an office, waiting a little impatiently as the woman on the other side of the desk looks over the necessary items required as proof of their being contempt. The lady finally sighs, nods, and looks at them.

“It seems that, until we run background checks, you’re set. Seeing these in person is more convincing than the copies that were e-mailed to me last night, so…while I send your information in, here are the files of the kids I found that might fit your family. The housing unit is only a couple of minutes away, so if you want to meet any of them, we can head over,” she says, standing and gathering her paperwork before handing over a stack of four folders. Only four, Himchan can’t help but think, sighing softly. He doesn’t want to just…choose one, like some kind of pet. Yongguk glances at him, and the younger can tell that he’s thinking the same thing.

“Thank you,” the elder says, looking back at the agency employee. “We’ll consider these…carefully, and let you know…” The words sound over-formal, forced. He definitely doesn’t like the idea of only adopting one child. 

Their options lie with Jung Daehyun, age fifteen; Yoo Youngjae, age fifteen; Moon Jongup, age thirteen; and Choi Junhong, age twelve. All boys. They spend a little while reading the files, trading when finished. Yongguk is halfway through Junhong’s file when Himchan drops Jongup’s onto the desk, sighing. The elder gives him a confused look, tilting his head. “…what’s wrong, Chan?” he asks softly, noting the apparent frustration on his husband’s face.

“I…can’t just read what they have to say about these kids. Can we go meet them, Guk? This…it doesn’t feel right…” he mumbles in response, rubbing his temples. It’s only a moment before Junhong’s file joins Jongup’s on the desk, and Yongguk is getting to his feet. 

“Let’s go meet them, then.” Honestly, just reading about these kids was making him uncomfortable as well. Like it was some…character sheet for a game or music video, created for an actor. Stiff, and hard to believe. Himchan stands with a small nod, and a few minutes later, they’ve found the woman that had given them the files and requested to meet the boys. Because the living quarters aren’t actually that far away, they’re walked three blocks down the street, and left awkwardly in the company of the young lady who runs the so-called ‘secretary counter’ there. 

She doesn’t even speak to them, either. Only to the woman who gave them the files and walked them there. After that, she gestures for them to follow, and they’re left alone in a plain room with simple furniture while she most likely goes to get the boys they’ve requested to see.

Junhong is brought to them first. It’s quite obvious to Himchan that Yongguk immediately falls for the twelve-year-old, who speaks easily with the deep-voiced man while almost entirely avoiding Himchan; all the younger man gets are shy, almost scared glances. It isn’t until Yongguk gently reassures the boy that, no, Himchan isn’t going to try and eat him, that the boy talks to him. They find out that he likes reading, wants to learn how to skateboard like the older boys, and has never been allowed to play video games by the older despite not being destructive in any way, unlike them. He’s a soft-spoken kid, very nearly kicked into submission to everything in the world because of the cruelty of living in this building his whole life. He’s doted on by the staff, and treated well by the girls - probably thanks to his gentle-seeming personality - but, the boys in the complex get a kick out of tearing the poor boy up. That much is obvious in the bandage on his face, and the taped-down gauze over one of his collarbones. Those must be fresh, because his skin is littered in scars and scabbed-over cuts and scrapes. Himchan wants nothing more than to gather the boy up and just…take him home. Procedures be damned.

The young woman from the desk brings Daehyun and Youngjae to them next. They’re best friends, quite obviously, and will go absolutely nowhere without the other by their side. Daehyun is quiet, and Youngjae talks enough for the both of them, really. Even though the boy is a talker, though, he’s very intelligent. He and Daehyun often sit down to play chess or Go, and collaborate on difficult video games to figure out what needs to be done, without help of guides. Daehyun has a problem with his sight, and wears glasses to help try and correct his vision that will only continue to get worse with time; he relies a lot on Youngjae to see for him when it gets to be too much. Really, the older boy seems almost mute, but Yongguk seems to understand why, when he finally speaks to correct his friend on something. His voice is deep, a little unusual, really. According to what Youngjae tells them, Daehyun went through puberty when he was twelve, and quickly, too. He was teased constantly for having such a deep voice at such a young age, and he altogether quit talking for the most part. Youngjae stepped in as his interpreter out of the blue, and they had been best friends ever since then. Inseparable. After they’re escorted out of the room, Himchan comments softly that those two most definitely come as a pair, and separating them would be entirely out of the question. Yongguk agrees softly.

Jongup is the last to be brought to them, and Himchan takes to the boy instantly. He’s a little like Daehyun, not talking very much, but he’s loveable, and very clingy. The type that Himchan can be a mom over, and who won’t fuss about it. Yongguk is chuckling most of the time the young teen is in the room, since Jongup almost automatically runs to Himchan to cling onto him and hide his face in the man’s chest. Sociable, but quiet. It’s a strange juxtaposition, and very charming. Once Jongup has been coaxed out of hiding, and Himchan has spoken with him in gentle, hushed tones, he and his husband slowly find out that the boy loves dancing, and wants to try and be a singer someday, if his voice doesn’t end up funny like some of the other kids did. One of his favorite hobbies is drawing, and he doesn’t have very many friends. Well, no one that he actually is considered a friend by, even though that’s what Jongup classifies them as. He’s intelligent, despite his clueless exterior, and finishes his pseudo-homework with ease. A look from Yongguk tells Himchan one thing - there’s no way they’re choosing just one of these boys for adoption, not with the way that Jongup clings back onto the younger man when the secretary from before comes to retrieve him. 

Yongguk and Himchan are escorted back to the adoption agency’s main building after that, sharing muttered words the whole walk back. Could they afford more than one child? It didn’t seem like there would be a problem, they had the space for it, they’d be fine if Yongguk didn’t donate as much of his music royalties, and so on. Before they even get back through the office door of the woman they’d spoken to before, they’ve decided that all four of those boys are going home with them, no matter how hard they have to fight for it.

And apparently, their background checks have, well, checked out. They’re in the clear, and to be honest, the two of them are surprised that the paperwork was taken care with such swiftness. Most places took days, but they aren’t going to object. Better now, than next week. 

It’s Yongguk who makes their case to the employee behind the desk, who easily talks her into considering it, into talking with the people above her about it. His voice is just the right tone, words carefully spoken. He isn’t trying to trick her - it happens every time that he’s being sincere about something. The elder puts every little thing he has into trying to show that he’s telling the truth, that he can do what he’s saying he wants to do.

They’re left alone again after that. The woman tells them to give her ten minutes, her slightly irritable demeanor from before entirely gone. She understands, it seems, and when she had asked Himchan about what he thought, the younger man had sighed, pressed his lips into a thin line, and given her a faint smile.

“I’m horrible with words. I think…what Yongguk has told you, is exactly what’s on my mind,” is his answer, and she smiles and nods before leaving the room. 

Twenty minutes later, the woman returns, apologizing for taking so long. But apparently, they’ve convinced her, and she’s convinced the people above her. As long as they provide the necessary furnishings for three more children by the next day at noon, then they’re okay to bring all four of the boys home.

Needless to say, they share a little victory dinner of pizza that night, after getting more furniture for the other spare rooms in their home. One ends up with two sets of furniture in it - it will be Daehyun and Youngjae’s room. Yongguk has already called ahead to let the agency know that they’ll be back at ten the next morning. They’ve also planned an immediate outing to the store, so the boys can have for their rooms just about whatever they like. There’s already an old wooden chess set in Dae and Jae’s room, one that was given to them as a wedding gift by Yongguk’s twin brother Yongnam. Part of Himchan wants to object to it, but he knows that it will be well taken care of. These boys are all far past the stages of being destructive, if they ever even had those phases in life.

The next day goes well, without any problems. The boys are quiet, aside from Youngjae, but they get along quite well. Daehyun seems taken by Junhong, quickly nicknamed Zelo by Jongup, letting the preteen cling to his arm and murmuring to him while they’re in the store, since Yongguk is in charge of getting things down from shelves and the like. Himchan keeps Jongup close, and happily engages in conversation with Youngjae, answering questions about the things that would happen to them, and how life would be from now on.

There’s more pizza when they finally bring the boys - and their new things, as well as the single bag of luggage each - home. The rooms are sorted out without any help from the two fathers - Jongup and Junhong seem very content with their own rooms, and there’s a look of relief on Daehyun’s face when he’s told he has no other choice but to share the room that has two beds with Youngjae. 

And once everyone is safely in bed, after everything is put in its place, and their dinner is eaten, Himchan is sighing, laying his head on Yongguk’s shoulder as he curls into the elder man’s side. Yongguk wraps an arm around him, pulling him close and smiling.

“…looks like we got more than we bargained for, huh…” he murmurs to the younger, earning a small nod, and a hum of agreement.

“…yeah…but…I think it’s perfect…I wouldn’t have it any other way…”

“…me, neither…goodnight, Channie…”

“…goodnight, Guk…”